Jerky Gearbox on Saloon Demo Car

[urquat]

My dad and I recently test drove a new RS6 Saloon, with a view to replaceing is current 2004 RS6 avant.

In short we were quite dissapionted. Our main gripe was the gearbox, and I wanted to see if this has cropped up before. We weren't sure, there could have been problem with the gearbox, maybe its just the way it is.

It was very jerky and seemed to be easily confused. For instance, pulling out of our drive and some turnings it kangarood, and when pushing hard in a corner, on one instance suddenly snapped the back end out a bit, perhaps as a result of the gearbox.

The car was better in "manual" mode (like the fact it now blips) , but even then it was sometimes frusrating because it would not consistantly go down a gear before a corner, sometimes refusing top do so.

Overall it seemed to show its weight, very heavy under breaking, and the performace wasn't significantly better, or perhaps as good as we expected. The gearbox in the old car seemed to select the correct gear 9 times out of ten, this one not as often. Also depite the promise we felt the old car is still better for low down response.

Is it just that the new RS6 has been engineered to be an edgier drive with a peakier engine (surely not as its still turbo) ? The old car seems to be more surefooted, predictable and smoother.

Any thoughs? Are we on our own on this one?

[doodlebug]

None of the above describes by Avant, it sounds like the car. Not having driven a C5 I can't comment on the comparison, but I'm sure you'll see Condor24's posts which would contradict your comparison.

[Nudenut]

As doodlebug I've not driven the C5.

I have my C6 Avant stage 1 mapped and it has not exhibited the gearbox traits (jerky/confused/kangaroo) at any time pre or post mapping that you describe.

There's no denying it's a heavy car, hey this is a large vehicle that carries 4 in extreme comfort + luggage/beer/lead weights/anything, but now pushing out 586 lb/ft (795Nm) from 3000rpm is definitely not "peaky" it has grunt to burn.

The common theme you will read and see in reviews is that this car is deceptively fast even in std tune... for some that sanitises the driving experience a little but you must keep an eye on the clock!!!

Personally I love the straight line acceleration it really is ballistic from 70 all the way till your nerve/roads permit it just doesn’t stop pulling and you have to be careful not to do obscene speeds in places you never imagined possible!! (car is fully de-restricted) and this is where the breaking is pushed but tyres will also be fighting loudly turning in if you're late and ceramics wouldn't remove mass.

Stick DRC in Dynamic (Sport really is for track or very very good roads!) and play the paddles and she still brings a big smile to me on the twisties but part of that smile is down to "knowing" this performance is coming from a 2t estate car! - oh, and watching the disbelief in faces of other "sports" car drivers if your kind enough to let them catch ya at any time!!

[jonp]

Mine's fine of the G-Box, It must be that car.

J

[HYFR]

just test drove a C6 avant. . . found the gearbox in S very jerky at high revs, as its about to change up. . . .was not impressed, my C5 is in for this exact reason!

Also, didnt feel any more powerful than the C5, but a lovely interior